Philosophy for Schools Association of NSW

Introduction

The Philosophy for Schools Association of NSW is one of a number of associations in Australia and around the world which aim to enable school students to become more effective and discerning thinkers. In a number of NSW schools students are learning to articulate, examine and question ideas which they find puzzling and intriguing. They are discovering that the processes of discussion, inquiry and reflective thinking are powerful tools.

In the course of this discovery they build classroom communities of inquiry in which interpersonal communication, respect for ideas, and heightened self-esteem are key features. Philosophy for Schools complements the student-centred nature of current educational practice and integrates well with the Key Learning Areas of the curriculum. Teachers in the philosophy classroom facilitate their students’ sense of ownership of and responsibility for class discussion. They encourage depth and rigour in a discursive process in which the children play with ideas.

Activities

The Philosophy for Schools Association of NSW provides activities and services that support the introduction and development of philosophy in classrooms. These include:

Activities

• School-based workshopsDemonstration lessonInter-school Philosophy exchnagesObservation of Philosophy classess
• Presentations to P&C meetings

Services

• Information packagesClassroom advice and supportResources material and publications
• Tri-annual newsletters

Philosophy, Thinking and Classroom

Philosophy as a discipline takes a particular approach to thinking. It encourages careful and rigorous thought as well as thinking about thinking. Students in the philosophy classroom develop skills and strategies that enable them to become more effective participants in the process of learning. They are encouraged from early on to be inquisitive, to question their own thinking and that of others. They are expected to offer reasons for their views and to expect the same of others. Recognising assumptions and implications, making inferences, examining alternatives and dealing with disagreement are among the skills students develop over time. The development of these skills creates habits of thought that enable students to develop their powers of reasoning and to engage in conceptual exploration.

As educators one of our aims is to develop independence of thought in our students. This is a disposition which cannot be too highly valued in a society in which students are flooded with information that includes great diversity of opinion and uncertain claims. Developing independent thought requires attention to the processes of thinking. Philosophical thinking involves thinking about thinking – about the processes, quality and direction of one’s thinking and the thinking of others. Since it provides a foundation and a framework for thinking across the curriculum, philosophy can serve to integrate the curriculum and to provide a focus that alleviates and undermines the crowding of the contemporary curriculum. Students who can think well – both critically and creatively - approach their studies with set of skills and understandings that can be applied across the curriculum. They are able to make connections between different areas of study, to become flexible, adaptable and competent thinkers who are aware of their competency.

Philosophy for Schools develops thinking skills by way of discussion in classroom communities of inquiry and the building of a classroom community is integral to the process. Students are encouraged and expected to participate, to respect others’ views, to communicate effectively, to collaborate in the exploration of ideas and to listen well. The capacities and dispositions developed within this context are those which are fundamental to the effective participation of citizens in society.

Some sense of the way in which philosophy can be applied across the curriculum can be gained from the following set of philosophical questions derived from various areas of academic philosophy:

Lesson Plan

A discussion of the first question - What is it to be a person? – might arise via a classroom “mind experiment”. The teacher invites two volunteers to stand in front of the class and identifies one as Person A, the other as Person B. Each volunteer “pours” all of his/her thoughts into a jar. Then the “thoughts” of Person A are “poured” into the head of Person B and vice versa, the “thoughts” of Person B are “poured” into the head of Person A.

The class then attempts to work out who has “become” whom. Will the thoughts take over the new body? Will the recipient brains reject all the new “foreign” thoughts? Have two completely new people been created? Will you be able to reverse the operation at the end of the lesson without spilling the thoughts all over the floor?

The discussion might begin with these questions and could then be guided by the teacher using following questions which attempt to provide structure and focus to the discussion:

• If Person A had been a champion runner before the “swap” while Person B was not a particularly good runner, who would be the better runner after the swap?
• Could thoughts make a body go faster?
• If Person B was thoroughly addicted to the taste of chocolate, but Person A disliked chocolate before the “swap”, who will like chocolate after the “swap”?
• If after the “swap” one volunteer had a new thought, whose thought would it be?
• What is it that makes up a person? Is it the person’s thoughts? If so, what happens if I suffer from amnesia?
• Is it the person’s body? If so, what happens if my body undergoes some dramatic change?

Publications

Philosophy with Kids: Books 1, 2, and 3
Chris de Haan, San MacColl & Lucy McCutcheon, Longman, 1995
Series of four teacher resource books. Books 1,2 & 3 are suited to Infants and Middle Primary and offer practical advice on how to begin the process of philosophical inquiry in the classroom. The books use Australian children’s literature as stimulus material.

Philosophy with Kids: More Ideas and Activities
Chris de Haan, San MacColl & Lucy McCutcheon, Longman, 1995
This is the fourth book in the Philosophy with Kids series. It contains ideas and activities for developing and strengthening the community of inquiry.

Thinking Stories 1, and 2
Philip Cam (Editor), Hale & Iremonger, 1993 & 1994
These books contain children’s stories which aim to engage 7-13 yr. Olds in philosophical discussion. The authors of the stories are leading philosophers and educators in the Philosophy for Schools movement from around the world.
Resource/Activity Book also available.

Thinking Stories 3
Philip Cam, Hale & Iremonger, 1997
A new edition addressing ethical and social themes in an Australian setting.
Resource/Activity Book also available.

Thinking Together: Philosophical Inquiry for the Classroom
Philip Cam, Primary English Teaching Assoc. & Hale & Iremonger, 1994
Written for primary school teachers with an interest in developing children’s thinking skills, this book shows how children’s literature and other materials can be used to stimulate children’s thinking. It clearly explains methodology including questionning and discussion techniques, and developing activities.

Twister, quibbler, puzzler, cheat: ten tall teasing tales
Philip Cam, Hale & Iremonger, 1998
This book contains stories, sometimes humorous, sometimes sinister that introduce reader to puzzles that have teased the human brain for thousands of years.

The Quest for the Stone of Wisdom
Michael Parker, illustrations James Willcocks, Ashton Scholastic, 1995
This book provides an introduction to the teaching of critical and creative thibking skills using a comic and activities as the stimuli for discussion. It is suitable for upper primary and lower secondary students.
Student Handbook and Teacher’s Guide available.

Contacts

Sandra Lynch
Philosophy for School Association of NSW
9 St. Albans Street
Abbotsford NSW 2046

Tel: (02) 9713 8776
Fax: (02) 9713 5378
Email: smlynch@bigpond.net.au